NEW YORK, February 25, 2020 /3BL Media/ - The United Nations Global Compact today launched a new toolkit to help procurement teams improve working conditions for millions of people working in global supply chains.

The term ‘decent work’ covers a wide range of labor related rights including equal opportunities, fair wages, health and safety and social protection for workers and their families. It also assures workers of the freedom to organize and participate in decisions affecting their lives.

“Business can achieve many SDG targets by respecting workers’ rights and positively contributing to decent work conditions. This toolkit will help business to improve its understanding on how sourcing practices impact working conditions and what companies can do better to ensure decent work and protect human and labor rights for all,” said Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact.

This resource focuses on strengthening long-term relationships between buyers and suppliers to improve working conditions in supply chains. It also contains practical examples of where buyers and suppliers have jointly addressed decent work concerns.

This Toolkit has been developed by the United Nations Global Compact Decent Work in Global Supply Chains Action Platform, consisting of member companies and UN partners (ILO and UNICEF). The Action Platform is supported by SAP Ariba, the Government of Sweden and the UK Department of International Development. It builds an alliance of companies committed to respecting human rights and labor rights by leveraging their supply chains and taking collective action to address decent work deficits.

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact works with companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption. Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact guides and supports the global business community in advancing UN goals and values through responsible corporate practices. With more than 10,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 68 Local Networks, it is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world. Visit https://www.unglobalcompact.org/ for further information.